Andres Manuel Olivares Miranda discusses the endangered Amur tiger in this slideshow about wildlife conservation. What is causing their decline and what can save these creatures from extinction?

1. Spotlight:
THE AMUR
TIGER
b y : A n d r e s M a n u e l O l i v a r e s
M i r a n d a

2. Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers, were
once of the world’s most critically endangered
species. In the 1940s, the species was dangerously
close to extinction. Only about 40 individual tigers
were in the wild at one point, but, as a result of
wildlife conservation efforts, today the number is
closer to 500.

3. These tigers live primarily in southeast
Russia, but there are small numbers of
them in China and possibly in North Korea
as well. They are the largest big cats in the
world (with the exception of the Liger, the
lion/tiger hybrid found almost exclusively
in zoos). Adult Amur tigers can grow to 10
feet long and weigh up to 700 pounds.

4. Poaching is the number one
reason that Amur tigers are
endangered. The black
market demand for tiger
parts remains high, so
poaching continues to be a
problem to this day.

5. The other major problem that
the Amur tiger population faces
in habitat loss. In the Russian
Far East, illegal logging is a
large problem. Illegal logging
refers to the breaking of laws
related to timber.
For example, chopping down
trees in a protected area is
illegal logging. Much of the
logging done in Russia is likely
illegal, and, as a result, has left
tigers with a reduced habitat.

6. How They Can Be Saved
The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) has been working to save
Amur tigers for decades. The WWF believes that a new
national park in the Russian Amazon is the ideal place for the
tiger population to grow. The park is called Bikin National
Park. It includes over 2.4 million acres of forest where tigers
can roam, hunt, and live in peace. It is currently home to
around 60 tigers, but the population is expected to grow to
over 100 tigers.

7. Other efforts to protect Amur tigers include monitoring populations,
protecting habitats in China and the Russian Far East, protecting
tiger prey like deer and wild boar, as well as raising public
awareness and advocating for better legislation. Because of their
endangered status, many laws already protect these tigers, but
these laws must be properly enforced if they are to be effective.
With some effort, Amur tiger populations will be able to increase.
Maybe someday this beautiful animal will no longer need to be
protected, but for now, it’s up to us to do our part to save them.